ROY HODGSON'S side have been warned about Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo after former manager of England's referees Keith Hackett said: "He produces cards quicker than Dynamo the magician."

Keith Hackett has warned the England players they must behave around Carlos Velasco Carballo[STUART ROBINSON]

Hackett is tipping "high odds" of players being sent off in tonight's Group B clash with Uruguay - a game where the losers will be dispatched from the World Cup.

He said: "England players, you have been warned. You must be on your best behaviour."

Velasco Carballo was at the centre of a storm at Euro 2012 where he issued a controversial red card to Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the opening match with Poland. He then sent off Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the second period during a 1-1 draw.

Hackett told you-are-the-ref.com: "This official's card count is liable to be well above average. Unless someone has spoken in his ear the odds are high of us seeing a couple of reds in this game.

"England have to be aware he has a very low threshold of tolerance on foul play. He has a knack of changing what should be a 'careless' free-kick offence into what he deems as 'reckless' and issuing a yellow card.

"And where you might get a referee hesitating to apply a second yellow card he is only too happy to flash the red. He is usually very consistent in that respect."